Supporting the monks in Burma

Events are unfolding in Burma with a strange sense of inevitability and it all feels a bit voyeuristic. In 1988 thousands of protestors were killed in Rangoon as they protested against the military dictatorship and noone heard about it but this time is different and I am hoping and praying that there will be a peaceful transition to democracy in the country - the Junta know that the world is watching and decisive action must be taken by the global community. This throws up a whole number of issues for democratic socialists who are pro-peace and anti-fascism. I've had some thoughts on this going around my mind ever since I read What's Left by Nick Cohen - fundamentally, Nick Cohen argues, the Left should be defined by their determination to stand in solidarity alongside our brothers and sisters fighting fascism, wherever they may be in the world. I was first introduced to the tragedy of military rule in Burma when I spent a university summer working in Northern Thailand amongst Karen refugees. We could only stare at Burmese border, unable to cross because of the severe fighting - at the time the Burmese Junta had stepped up their campaign in Karen state, burning villages and raping women. Whilst we were there, our hosts told us the most horrendous stories of rape and murder, and we met children who had been orphaned, some of whom had seen their parents killed. At the time it was too much for me to cope with and returning to England I didn't really know what to do with the knowledge. I found out about some of the advocacy work that Christian Solidarity Worldwide were undertaking (www.csw.org.uk) and started writing letters to Total, a French oil company who have been major investors in Burma and making use of the Yadana pipeline that has been constructed using forced and child labour. I also spoke to an old school friend who had started an educational charity working with the Karenni following a gap-year experience that had transformed her life. Steph tragically died in Thailand but the work of her charity, the Karenni Student Development Programme continues and an article appeared in the Telegraph a few years back:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2003/03/04/elsteph04.xml

I don't really know what the answer is but we need to support and pray for those protesting in Burma, stand in solidarity and don't whatever you do, fill your car up at a Total petrol station.